Danielle Georgiou

Danielle Georgiou, (still from) Falling, 2012, Performance

“Nothing is funnier than unhappiness.” -from Endgame by Samuel Beckett

Artist Statement

Combining video, dance, and live performance, to create a mirror in which to start looking through the self, I incorporate pop culture references and mechanically mediated techniques to explore contemporary feminine gender dynamics and the intensely personal nature of identity.

The resulting growing body of work is organized around the premise of transforming images of the self, and producing unique and individualized portraits that act as a visual marker for my own search for identity.

Influenced by aspects of Diamanda Galás’ performance style—the terror she achieves with her vocal range and the experimental quality of her filmed and public performances—Cindy Sherman’s photography—particularly her notion of the transformative female—Chris Marker’s editing style, Matthew Barney’s avant-garde techniques, and Guy Bourdin’s highly sexual fashion photographs, the mise-en-scénes I create are basically the performative equivalent of Samuel Beckett on a dinner date with Sarah Silverman.

Both the videos and live performances are love letters: to myself, to my lovers, to you. And they document my own self-discovery of dysfunction. The weight of catastrophic dread is blended in equal measure with female-power and pop, resulting in a darkly comedic performance. With a dash of female spectacle thrown in for good measure—less like Guy Debord, and more like the kitschy, self-reflective music videos of Katy Perry.

Acted out in an ironic form of stand-up comedy and ritual—as lines are repeated over and over in attempt to convince myself of something or to help me become something—the performances beg the question, “will you die from laughing?”

EducationPhD, pursuing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX MA, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX BBA (Honors), University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX